Beyond Physical Accessibility for Inclusive Age-Friendly Homes: Insights from a Comparative Study of Two Residential Developments
Publication: Journal of Architectural Engineering
Volume 29, Issue 4
Abstract
Supporting aging adults who wish to maintain their independence and stay in their homes is becoming an increasingly prevalent issue in the United States and worldwide. Aging-in-place is a popular term in aging literature, defined as one’s ability to live as they possibly can, confidently and independently, in their private home. However, current housing design and construction considerations for aging adults are typically limited to projects specifically catering to retirement or senior communities, focusing primarily on physical accessibility. There is insufficient research or application addressing the cognitive and physical aspects of aging in residential design, construction, and operation despite the growing emphasis on smart buildings. To examine the current housing options for aging adults in the United States, this case study offerred a comprehensive comparison of two residential units in terms of internal spatial features, design, and construction costs. One unit adheres to the requirements outlined in the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, targeting individuals aged 55 and above. The other unit, with comparable dimensions, lacks the same emphasis on accommodating aging individuals. Both housing units were developed and budgeted in Lawrenceville, Georgia, in March 2021. By examining floor plans, accessibility, building systems, and costs associated with these two units, it was found that the construction cost of the housing designed for 55 years and older was 35% greater than the comparable project. The major contributor to the cost difference was the restriction of designing an accessible living space on one level rather than features that support aging. Hence, this paper provides a suggested range of current smart trends, home sensors, and aging-friendly features that cater to the various physical, cognitive, and social/psychological needs of aging adults. This research highlights the pressing need for comprehensive housing design and construction strategies that consider cognitive aging alongside physical aging.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or codes used during the study were provided by a third party. Direct requests for these materials may be made to the provider as indicated in the “Acknowledgments” section.
Acknowledgments
The authors thank One Street Residential and Richport Properties, Inc. for providing the data to develop this case study.
References
Ahrens, M. 2020. “Home cooking fires.” National Fire Protection Association. Accessed July 2, 2022. https://www.nfpa.org//-/media/Files/News-and-Research/Fire-statistics-and-reports/US-Fire-Problem/Fire-causes/oscooking.pdf.
Almeida-Silva, M., S. M. Almeida, P. N. Pegas, T. Nunes, C. A. Alves, and H. T. Wolterbeek. 2015. “Exposure and dose assessment to particle components among an elderly population.” Atmos. Environ. 102: 156–166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2014.11.063.
American Burn Association. 2018. “Burn prevention: Cooking and older adults.” Accessed July 2, 2022. https://ameriburn.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/cobranded_aba119_burnprevention-cookingolderadults_113018-1.pdf.
Binette, J., K. Vasold, and AARP Research. 2019. “2018 home and community preferences: A national survey of adults ages 18-plus.” Accessed July 2, 2022. https://www.aarp.org/research/topics/community/info-2018/2018-home-community-preference.html.
Blocker, K. A., T. Kadylak, L. M. Koon, C. E. Kovac, and W. A. Rogers. 2020. “Digital home assistants and aging: Initial perspectives from novice older adult users.” Proc. Hum. Factors Ergon. Soc. Annu. Meet. 64 (1): 1367–1371. https://doi.org/10.1177/1071181320641327.
Bosch, J. L. H. R., and J. P. Weiss. 2010. “The prevalence and causes of nocturia.” J. Urol. 184 (2): 440–446. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2010.04.011.
Carnemolla, P. 2018. “Ageing in place and the internet of things—How smart home technologies, the built environment and caregiving intersect.” Visualization Eng. 6 (1): 7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40327-018-0066-5.
CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). 2019. “Subjective cognitive decline-a public health issue.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed July 19, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/aging/data/subjective-cognitive-decline-brief.html.
Chaudhuri, S., H. Thompson, and G. Demiris. 2014. “Fall detection devices and their use with older adults.” J. Geriatric Phys. Ther. 37 (4): 178–196. https://doi.org/10.1519/jpt.0b013e3182abe779.
Collins, K. J., A. N. Exton-Smith, and C. Dore. 1981. “Urban hypothermia: Preferred temperature and thermal perception in old age.” BMJ 282 (6259): 175–177. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.282.6259.175.
Corsi, R. L., K. A. Kinney, and H. Levin. 2012. “Microbiomes of built environments: 2011 symposium highlights and workgroup recommendations.” Indoor Air 22 (3): 171–172. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0668.2012.00782.x.
Falkenberg, H. K., T. M. Kvikstad, and G. Eilertsen. 2019. “Improved indoor lighting improved healthy aging at home—An intervention study in 77-year-old Norwegians.” J. Multidiscip. Healthcare 12: 315–324. https://doi.org/10.2147/JMDH.S198763.
FHA (Fair Housing Act). 1996. “Fair Housing Act design manual: A manual to assist designers and builders in meeting the accessibility requirements of the Fair Housing Act.” CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. Accessed July 2, 2022. https://books.google.com/books?id=3FgHywAACAAJ.
Harada, E. T., K. Mori, and N. Taniue. 2010. “Cognitive aging and the usability of IT-based equipment: Learning is the key.” Jpn. Psychol. Res. 52 (3): 227–243. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-5884.2010.00440.x.
Hoyniak, C. P., J. E. Bates, M. C. Camacho, M. E. McQuillan, D. J. Whalen, A. D. Staples, K. M. Rudasill, and K. Deater-Deckard. 2022. “The physical home environment and sleep: What matters most for sleep in early childhood.” J. Fam. Psychol. 36: 757–769. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0000977.
Hughes, P. C., and R. M. Neer. 1981. “Lighting for the elderly: A psychobiological approach to lighting.” Hum. Factors 23 (1): 65–85. https://doi.org/10.1177/001872088102300107.
Kulsiriruangyos, J., V. Rattanawutikul, P. Sangsartra, and D. Wongsawang. 2016. “Home security system for alone elderly people.” In Proc., 5th Int. Conf. Technological-Int. Student Project Conf, 65–68. Piscataway, NJ: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
Künn, S., J. Palacios, and N. Pestel. 2019. “Indoor air quality and cognitive performance.” IZA Discussion Paper No. 12632. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3460848.
Lee, L. N., and M. J. Kim. 2020. “A critical review of smart residential environments for older adults with a focus on pleasurable experience.” Front. Psychol. 10: 3080. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.03080.
Mace, R. L. 1998. “Universal design in housing.” Assistive Technol. 10 (1): 21–28. https://doi.org/10.1080/10400435.1998.10131957.
Mendes, A., C. Pereira, D. Mendes, L. Aguiar, P. Neves, S. Silva, S. Batterman, and J. P. Teixeira. 2013. “Indoor air quality and thermal comfort—Results of a pilot study in elderly care centers in Portugal.” J. Toxicol. Environ. Health Part A 76 (4–5): 333–344. https://doi.org/10.1080/15287394.2013.757213.
Moreland, B., R. Kakara, and A. Henry. 2020. “Trends in nonfatal falls and fall-related injuries among adults aged ≥65 years—United States, 2012–2018.” MMWR 69 (27): 875–881. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6927a5.
Morris, M., B. Adair, K. Miller, E. Ozanne, R. Hampson, A. Pearce, N. Santamaria, L. Viegas, M. Long, and C. Said. 2013. “Smart-home technologies to assist older people to live well at home.” J. Aging Sci. 1: 101. https://doi.org/10.4172/2329-8847.1000101.
New York City Department for the Aging and the American Institute of Architects New York Design for Aging Committee. 2016. “Aging in place guide for building owners recommended age-friendly residential building upgrades.” Accessed July 1, 2022. https://46u0j30o449zq8181dfurbcj-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/AIP_2017_EN.pdf.
NIA (National Institute on Aging). 2017. “Fall-proofing your home.” Accessed July 1, 2022. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/fall-proofing-your-home.
O’Brien, K., A. Liggett, V. Ramirez-Zohfeld, P. Sunkara, and L. A. Lindquist. 2020. “Voice-controlled intelligent personal assistants to support aging in place.” J. Am. Geriatrics Soc. 68 (1): 176–179. https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.16217.
Shankar, A., A. McMunn, P. Demakakos, M. Hamer, and A. Steptoe. 2017. “Social isolation and loneliness: Prospective associations with functional status in older adults.” Health Psychol. 36 (2): 179–187. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0000437.
Simoni, M., M. S. Jaakkola, L. Carrozzi, S. Baldacci, F. Di Pede, and G. Viegi. 2003. “Indoor air pollution and respiratory health in the elderly.” Eur. Respir. J. 21 (Supplement 40): 15S–20S. https://doi.org/10.1183/09031936.03.00403603.
US Fire Administration. 2021. “Fire Risk in 2019.” Topical Fire Report Series 21 (8). https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/statistics/v21i8.pdf.
USCB (U.S. Census Bureau). 2019. “American housing survey.” Accessed July 2, 2022. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/ahs/data/interactive/ahstablecreator.html?s_areas=00000&s_year=2019&s_tablename=TABLE1&s_bygroup1=1&s_bygroup2=1&s_filtergroup1=1&s_filtergroup2=1.
USCB (U.S. Census Bureau). 2020. “65 and older population grows rapidly as baby boomers age.” Accessed July 2, 2022. https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2020/65-older-population-grows.html#:∼:text=The%2065%2Dand%2Dolder%20population,1%2C688%2C924)%20from%202018%20to%202019.
USCB (U.S. Census Bureau). 2021. “New residential sales.” Accessed July 1, 2022. https://www.census.gov/construction/nrs/historical_data/index.html.
Van Hoof, J., M. M. Blom, H. N. A. Post, and W. L. Bastein. 2013. “Designing a ‘think-along dwelling’ for people with dementia: A co-creation project between health care and the building services sector.” J. Hous. Elderly 27 (3): 299–332. https://doi.org/10.1080/02763893.2013.813424.
Vasunilashorn, S., B. A. Steinman, P. S. Liebig, and J. Pynoos. 2012. “Aging in place: Evolution of a research topic whose time has come.” J. Aging Res. 2012: 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/120952.
Vespa, J., J. Engelberg, and W. He. 2020. “Old housing, new needs: Are U.S. Homes ready for an aging population? Current population reports.” Accessed July 1, 2022. https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2020/demo/p23-217.pdf.
Wahl, H.-W. 2001. “Environmental influences on aging and behavior.” Handbook Psychol. Aging 215–237. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-080-3_132-1.
Wang, C., F. Zhang, J. Wang, J. K. Doyle, P. A. Hancock, C. M. Mak, and S. Liu. 2021. “How indoor environmental quality affects occupants’ cognitive functions: A systematic review.” Build. Environ. 193: 107647. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2021.107647.
WHO (World Health Organization). 2007. “Global age-friendly cities: A guide.” Accessed July 1, 2022. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/43755.
Wiener, J. M., and F. Pazzaglia. 2021. “Ageing- and dementia-friendly design: Theory and evidence from cognitive psychology, neuropsychology and environmental psychology can contribute to design guidelines that minimise spatial disorientation.” Cognit. Process. 22 (4): 715–730. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10339-021-01031-8.
Wilson-Doenges, G. 2001. “Push and pull forces away from front porch use.” Environ. Behav. 33: 264–278. https://doi.org/10.1177/00139160121972981.
Xu, X., Z. Lian, J. Shen, T. Cao, J. Zhu, X. Lin, K. Qing, W. Zhang, and T. Zhang. 2021. “Experimental study on sleep quality affected by carbon dioxide concentration.” Indoor Air 31 (2): 440–453. https://doi.org/10.1111/ina.12748.
Xu, X., and L. Wang. 1993. “Association of indoor and outdoor particulate level with chronic respiratory illness.” Am. Rev. Respir. Dis. 148 (6 Pt 1): 1516–1522. https://doi.org/10.1164/ajrccm/148.6_Pt_1.1516.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Architectural Engineering
Volume 29 • Issue 4 • December 2023
Copyright
© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Aug 9, 2022
Accepted: Jul 31, 2023
Published online: Sep 12, 2023
Published in print: Dec 1, 2023
Discussion open until: Feb 12, 2024
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.